Predictors of freezing in Parkinson's disease: A survey of 6,620 patients

TLDR

The results highlight the need for countermeasures against freezing, a symptom that impairs quality of life and can lead to traffic accidents. The study examined data from 6,620 Parkinson’s disease patients to assess correlations between freezing and factors such as age, sex, disease duration, severity, and medication use. Forty‑seven percent of patients reported regular freezing, which was associated with longer disease duration, advanced stage, male sex, and use of levodopa combined with Entacapone, Amantadine, or dopamine agonists; patients whose main symptom was tremor reported freezing less often, and common levodopa combinations did not increase freezing risk. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society.

Abstract

Abstract Data from a survey of 6,620 Parkinson's disease patients were examined for correlation of freezing with age, sex, duration, subjective severity of Parkinson's disease, and antiparkinsonian medication. Forty‐seven percent of the patients reported experiencing freezing regularly. Logistic regression analysis showed that freezing was significantly associated with a longer disease duration and a more advanced stage of the disease. Freezing episodes were more likely in men than in women and in patients taking, in addition to levodopa, Entacapone, Amantadine, or dopamine agonists. Finally, patients considering tremor as their main symptom reported freezing less frequently. Common antiparkinsonian drugs given in combination with levodopa were not negatively correlated with freezing. The results underline the necessity to develop appropriate countermeasures against this phenomenon, which is widely known to cause significant impairment of patients' quality of life and—as our data also showed—may cause traffic accidents in licensed patients. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society